5 Delicious, Unique Reasons To Stop At 7-Eleven In Hawaii

A run to 7-Eleven is far from gourmet. With hot dogs and questionable pre-packaged food, the convenience store is perhaps not the first choice for a delicious meal in most places. Funnily enough, this is not the case at 7-Eleven Japan, which is renowned for its authentic bites like onigiri and fruit sandwiches, amongst other things. However, you don't have to go abroad to delight in a culinary experience that is on par with 7-Eleven Japan. Instead, travel to Hawaii. Yes, there are several tourist traps to skip when visiting Hawaii, but 7-Eleven is not one of them. 

At the time of this writing, there are over 60 locations of the iconic convenience store on the islands. Like 7-Eleven Japan, 7-Eleven Hawaii has garnered a reputation for its incredible eats. In fact, 7-Eleven Hawaii has its Japanese counterpart to thank for this. Speaking to Hawaii Magazine in 2021, Annika Streng, the state location's marketing manager at the time, explained, "We were acquired by 7-Eleven Japan in 1989. Japan's goal has always been to support 7-Eleven Hawaiʻi as an independent entity, to allow us to evolve with the people of Hawaiʻi."

Nevertheless, there is a downside: 7-Eleven Hawaii's food items are not available in the continental United States. So, next time you're on vacation in Hawaii, head to the nearest 7-Eleven. You won't want to miss out on all the traditional and Asian-inspired meals and snacks there are to munch on, especially if you're a foodie.

If you've never had Spam musubi, this snack is just what it sounds like — a sliced piece of Spam atop sushi rice. It's held together by nori, otherwise known as crispy seaweed. Spam rose to prominence during  World War II, especially in Hawaii. One culinary creation that emerged during this time is Spam musubi. This snack is commonly sold throughout the islands including at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. In fact, this chain eatery, based in Honolulu, created National Spam Musubi Day, which is celebrated on August 8. 

However, 7-Eleven Hawaii's Spam musubis are legendary.  According to a 2023 article from Honolulu Magazine, 14,000 Spam musubis are sold daily. But what makes them so delicious? In a video uploaded to 7-Eleven Hawaii's Instagram, the convenience store shows its manufacturing process. First and foremost, the Spam musubi is assembled locally by hand in Waipahu, Honolulu. 

A secret glaze is drizzled atop the rice before the placement of the Spam. A piece of nori is then wrapped around the spam and rice by hand and voila; the 7 -Eleven Hawaii Spam musubi is complete. 2,000 pounds of rice is used, and impressively, this operation is repeated daily. In other words, patrons are guaranteed fresh Spam musubi at any 7-Eleven location in Hawaii. What's not to love about that?

7-Eleven is synonymous with Slurpees. So much so that every July 11, the chain offers a free small Slurpee to commemorate its anniversary. This icy confection has been sold at 7-Eleven stores since 1966 and is a delight for the senses. It's sugary, creamy, and cold, perfect for a hot summer day. Typical Slurpee flavors that you can find in the United States include Coca-Cola, blue raspberry, and cherry, just to name a few. At 7-Eleven Hawaii, there are a variety of island-inspired Slurpee flavors that visitors won't be able to get on the mainland, like butter mochi and huapia (coconut pudding).

However, there is a catch: these are primarily around for a limited time only. On that note, Slurpee flavors that have been previously offered at 7-Eleven Hawaii include butter mochi, which is a typical Hawaiian sweet treat, White Bunny (seen above), inspired by a popular candy sold in Hawaii, ube, a yam commonly used in desserts and haupia, or a coconut-based pudding. 7-Eleven Hawaii collaborates with Harders Hawaii, a syrup and drink manufacturer based in Waipahu to generate these distinct flavors.

Debbie Poynter, 7-Eleven Hawaii's merchandise manager revealed, (via Honolulu Magazine), "When we think about flavors, we are looking at three criteria: uniquely Hawai'i, local and nostalgic." Poynter also disclosed that it is not uncommon for past flavors to be reintroduced. Hence, travelers might very well be able to try one of the aforementioned flavors on their next visit to 7-Eleven Hawaii.

Bento boxes are sold at 7-Eleven Japan but also at 7-Eleven Hawaii. There is an assortment of bento boxes to be found at the beloved convenience store for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Examples include the teriyaki chicken bento (pictured), which includes a hot dog, a chicken adobo with pancit noodles bento, and a breakfast scramble bento featuring potatoes, eggs, cheese, sausage, and more. In a YouTube video, user Strictly Dumpling reviewed a breakfast scramble with arabiki sausage bento box.

They raved about the texture of the eggs and the taste of the sausage, referring to the meal as a "really hearty, very fulfilling breakfast." Best of all, bento boxes are typically under $10. In other words, if you need a place to eat but want to save money and are on a tight budget in Hawaii, 7-Eleven is the place to go. In addition to their affordability, bento boxes can be heated onsite. This is perfect for travelers who don't have access to a microwave or need a quick bite before a planned activity or excursion.

Like its Slurpee flavors, 7-Eleven Hawaii is known to have certain bento boxes for a limited time only. For instance, in 2021, 7-Eleven Hawaii featured an ulu beef stew bento that was the brainchild of a student from Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu. Likewise, vegetarian options such as plant ball meatball-based bento have also been offered. 

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup that includes noodles, veggies, and beef or other protein. You can never go wrong with a bowl of pho, especially on a rainy day or if you're feeling under the weather. With that said, Hawaii has a large Vietnamese population and Vietnamese eateries can be found throughout Honolulu, Hawaii's biggest city. However, if you need to satisfy a craving for pho in a pinch, you can grab a bowl at 7-Eleven Hawaii. They have the typical pho fixings like spring onions and thin pieces of beef with rice noodles.

"Decide to give Hawai'i 7-Eleven pho a chance, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was! Less than $5.00 for the bowl, and, to be honest, it is better than some of the more mediocre pho I've had at some restaurants," wrote one individual on Reddit. On TikTok, user @ShaylaAmitoelau (seen above) tried the pho on camera and expressed surprise when she found the broth to be tasty.

Another TikTok user @vyooznreevyooz admitted that he was not a big pho fan but gave 7-Eleven Hawaii's pho a 10 out of 10 rating. As they noted in their video, the pho is ready to be microwaved. Unlike instant ramen, water does not need to be added prior to heating.

Although 7-Eleven Hawaii is a great stop for a meal or a Slurpee, you can't go wrong with the convenience store's hot snack offerings. In addition to Spam musubi, you'll find manapua. This treat, which has Chinese origins, can best be described as a large stuffed bun. Manapua fillings available at 7-Eleven Hawaii include chicken curry and char siu pork. However, limited-time fillings including pizza and spicy vegetable have previously been available.

In a review for YouTube, user emmymade tried the curry manapua and had nothing but good things to say. They described the manapua as "fluffy cloud-like texture" and said the curry filling was "nicely seasoned and not overly salty and goes perfectly with the slightly sweetened bun." In an interview with Honolulu Magazine, Debbie Lee Soon, who was then 7-Eleven Hawaii's senior category manager said that prior to being a staple at 7-Eleven Hawaii, manuapa's were not always as accessible.

"Normally, when you wanted to eat manapua, you had to go to Chinatown and go to the manapua place before 12 because they shut the door then," she said. Ultimately, patrons can thank Soon for the convenience store's delicious manapuas. If you love feasting on fast food on your travels, check out the unexpected iconic chain restaurant tourists in Europe must try.